


Well Hello Mister Marshal

by Grey_Wind_Wolf



Category: Justified
Genre: Attempted Kidnapping, Attempted Murder, Bank Robbery, Character Death, Complicated Relationships, Crime Fighting, Crimes & Criminals, Drinking, Explosives, F/M, Family, Family Drama, Family Issues, Fist Fights, Johnny's Bar, Justified - Freeform, Kidnapping, Loyalty, M/M, Organized Crime, Past Character Death, Past Violence, Police, Possibly Relationships, Protectiveness, Secrets, U.S. Marshal, thieves
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-11
Updated: 2021-03-05
Packaged: 2021-03-10 00:01:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,575
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27504979
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Grey_Wind_Wolf/pseuds/Grey_Wind_Wolf
Summary: Jimmy and Carl are working the bar and cleaning at Johnny’s Bar while Boyd is in the back drinking and sorting through paperwork and plans after they robbed a bank the day before. The robbery went off smoothly with no evidence left behind, but Boyd knows its only a matter of time before someone from the Marshal's service comes knocking on his door, or rather the door of his bar. While Raylan Givens has met most of the members of Boyd’s crew, Deputy Marshal Tim Gutterson has not. Tim knows about the bank robbery, and since it was in a certain distance from where Boyd lived and worked, he is a likely suspect so Tim has been sent to talk to Boyd. Things happen from there. Possible relationships form and develop, but can it stand the violent life they live?
Relationships: Ava Crowder/Boyd Crowder, Carl Lennon/Original Character, Tim Gutterson/Jimmy Tolan
Kudos: 2





	1. A U.S Marshal Walks Into a Bar...

Tim’s POV:  
I don't know why I had to be the one to come out here, I mean I understand why Rachel didn’t want to come out here, she has a reason that makes sense. But I don't know what made Raylan so busy that he couldn’t be the one to deal with Boyd. Not that I can't handle Boyd and any of the men that work for him as long as it stays peaceful, but I don't like the long drive. Art thought that it would be good for me to be the one to go anyways, since I haven’t met most of the people that work for Boyd. Thought it would be a good idea for me to know what they look like and have interacted with them even a little. 

The bar isn’t in the worst place, so it isn’t such a bad place to go, if you’re not a member of law enforcement that is since I don't know how welcome I really am here. There doesn’t seem to be too many cars parked out front, so I’m guessing the bar isn’t busy which is good for me since they can’t claim to be too busy to talk. It’s a quick walk to the door and as soon as I enter, any conversation that was going on seems to die out and the only thing that can be heard is music from the jukebox and the clink of glasses.

I see two men at the bar, one working behind it while the other is sitting on a stool on the customer side with his phone in his hand and a bottle of beer in front of him. I'm not sure if they both work for Boyd, but the blonde one behind the bar definitely does, even if it is just as a bartender. Pretty sure I've seen him in pictures with Boyd, but if Raylan or anyone know more about him for some reason they didn’t tell me.

The blonde man behind the bar is of decent height and he does look muscled, not overly so but I would still rather avoid a fight with him even with the training that I have. Physical fights against someone slightly bigger than you is not always fun if they can land a hit on you. And there is always the chance that you could get unlucky and they manage to land a solid hit to your face or body. He has dirty blonde hair that is cut and styled into a sort of mohawk. Can't see nothing below his waist because of the bar, but he’s got a gray shirt with an unbuttoned blue and black checkered flannel on top. He isn’t the friendly looking type, but he also doesn’t seem to be threatening me, he just doesn’t look happy that I'm here. But when I look at him for a few seconds after that, I see that he is also an attractive guy with good looks, a strong and muscled body, and a few freckles and other small marks on his face that definitely don't hurt. If we were somewhere else and I didn’t know he was connected to Boyd Crowder, I would definitely talk with him, find out where his orientation lies. Who am I kidding, I still want to know. 

The other man sitting on the customer side of the bar is on the smaller side, I can't tell how tall he is but he is under 5 foot 9 and he doesn’t look too muscled but living in this area, he is still going to be strong despite the lack of muscle. His hair is a little wild, a somewhat dark brown color, and he has a bit of a beard. He is dressed in black pants, brown boots, a light grey shirt under an unbuttoned blue collared shirt, and various pieces of jewelry both made of metal and of leather. Like the blonde bartender, he isn’t the most friendly looking person, but he also does not look like he is going to outright threaten or hurt me. Unlike the blonde bartender, while this man is attractive in his own way and isn’t too bad on the eyes, I am not as interested in him as I am the bartender. The blonde man just has something a little different about him I can't place that I fell like is drawing me in, and I want to learn all I can about him, and maybe spend some, private time, with him away from public and prying eyes. 

I don't think either of them would threaten or attack me unless I posed a threat to them and in the case of the blonde bartender, if I was a threat to Boyd. From what I know and have heard through stories, Boyd’s men are loyal for sure because of money, but I have heard stories about some things unnamed employees of Boyd have done so there is some sense of loyalty there that goes beyond money. There was one story that went around, and while no one knew which employee of Boyd this happened too, I'm pretty sure we all wanted to know who it was.

A little while ago, there was some stuff going on with a preacher and for some reason some of Boyd’s men were sent up there most likely to scare the preacher off. They went into a tent and it just happened to be filled with snakes and the one that went first ended up being bit multiple times by some very venomous snakes. Even after almost dying because Boyd in a painful way, he still continued to work for Boyd as soon as he was better physically. Anyone that almost dies because of a man then continues to work for that man is loyal no doubt, and that makes me want to know even more which of Boyd’s men was the one that got bit. He would be the one to watch out for, the one that would know more of the important things, and the most dangerous since he is the most loyal. He's the one that will die for Boyd before he flips and talks about him to the cops or anyone else. 

When neither of them say anything, I take a few steps toward them before stopping and break the silence. “I don't believe we have been introduced, I’m Deputy Marshal Tim Gutterson.” Still none of them say anything, and the man sitting at the bar turns his back to me and goes back to drinking and messing around on his phone. Either he does not care about what I am saying, or he is just here for a drink which is a possibility, I mean this is an actual bar after all and it is some time past noon. He could be here for a drink and some food on his break from wherever it is he might work. 

After more silence, the blonde man behind the bar moves slightly away from where the other man is sitting, and watches me for a moment before he breaks the silence filled only by the jukebox still playing in the corner. “And?” Is all he says and I can hear the accent in his voice, even if it isn’t as strong as some others I've heard around here. 

“You may have heard about the bank robbery that happened a little ways away from here, and I know that this here is Boyd Crowder’s bar. I'm here because I need to ask him a couple questions, see what he knows about what happened and where he was.” The blonde behind the bar doesn’t move or call out or anything, but suddenly I hear a door opening and footsteps approaching, then Boyd is walking into the main room.

“Well Mr. Marshal, I don't know why you would need to be here, but I can't say I didn’t expect this visit since I always seem to be the first stop no matter what crime is committed within a certain area.” Boyd moves towards the bar and stops in front of where the blonde bartender is standing, and the man I originally thought was a customer is on his right and is turned around facing me now looking serious and a little pissed off. 

“Well there is good reason for that as I'm sure you are aware, since you are well known in the Marshals offices, but your friends here aren’t very known to us. Would an introduction be too much to ask for?” There is no response from the bartender or the other man with metal earring and a leather cuff on his left wrist, but Boyd seems to talk enough for all of them.

“Well I don't see why you need to know the names of my friends here, but I'm not one to be rude. Marshal Gutterson, meet Carl, and Jimmy.” Boyd names and points to the two men in turn and I make sure to take note of it now that I have names for the faces that could be part of past and future crimes Boyd commits. It is always a good idea to know who you are dealing with and who might be in the building if you have to go in when you're not welcome. 

After being named the bartender, Jimmy, moves around behind the bar and when he turns back around he is holding a bottle of liquor and two glasses which are set down behind Boyd. I don't know how he knew to grab what he did, but obviously he must have been working for Boyd for a while to be able to read him like that. The liquor is poured and one glass is placed by Boyd’s right hand and the other slid over to Carl, and both take their drinks in hand nodding to Jimmy who does nothing but watch me closely with a blank face. 

“Well Marshal, I would offer you a drink but I'm not sure you could accept seeing as how you are on duty at the moment. But if you were to have a glass or two I know that we won’t say nothing about it.” He is smiling at me, all his teeth shinning in the light while his workers continue to frown at me or have blank faces as they remain silent and on guard. 

“Well, I may not the you up on a drink of liquor, but a glass of water would not be turned down by me.” I've barely finished my sentence before Boyd starts nodding and turns from where he has been leaning against the bar with the blonde one, Jimmy, at his back no doubt with his hand on some shotgun under the counter or a pistole in his waistband. 

“Jimmy, get the Marshal a glass of water, the tap will be just fine I believe.” Jimmy nods and moves quickly, grabbing a glass then disappearing into the back room Boyd first came out of where the kitchen most likely is.

I'm not too happy with him going back there where I can't see him, but my attention is drawn back to Boyd when he moves away from the bar and seats himself at a table with the bar at his back and the main door directly across from him. It is obvious that he wants me to join him at the table, so after a moment and me quickly looking at the other man, Carl I think, I move towards the table and lower myself into one of the chairs across from Boyd. As I'm settling down, Jimmy reappears and makes his way to the table, setting the glass of water in front of me with a scowl, and topping off Boyd’s liquor before returning to his position behind the bar and most likely grabbing his pistol or shotgun again. 

“Marshal, I don't know about you but I was up quite late last night having some drinks with some friends and I am quite tired. So if this could be done quickly, I would very much appreciate it and then I do not have to take up too much of your probably very busy and important day.” Boyd is speaking again, and from the smile filling his face, I think he probably knows why I am here, and he plans on dragging it out as long as he can and making it as unpleasant for me as he can. Why did I have to be chosen to come and check out Boyd and his men?


	2. About that Robbery..

Boyd’s POV:  
Of course I’m trying to have some time to figure things out, take a little time to myself to relax and make future plans, and a U.S. Deputy Marshal decides it would be the perfect time to make his appearance in my bar. I know that there is a reason for this visit since the timing of it does align with the job we just pulled, but it would still be nice to have some time to myself. When something of a criminal nature happens here in Harlan or somewhat close by, it seems to be that I am the first stop for any visiting law enforcement. Now I must admit that I do see the reason in that, but I must say that it is tiresome to always be interrupted when I'm planning something or just trying to have a drink and relax. 

I've just sat down on the couch to put my feet up to take some time to enjoy my drink when I hear the door open and it suddenly seems quiet in the main room of the bar, no sounds other than the jukebox still playing whatever Carl or Jimmy put on. The silence continues for a little before a voice I don't know or can't really place breaks the silence. It sounds like the conversation is mostly one-sided, I know Jimmy ain’t really one to talk much unless he has to nor would he be normally called a friendly person especially to a member of law enforcement, and Carl has never been the most friendly neither to much of anyone. After a few minutes, my phone buzzes and its a message from Carl telling me what the Marshal, a Tim Gutterson, is here to ask me about the bank robbery that just happened. 

Now of course the Marshals would believe that I had something to do with the bank robbery, after all there was a time when I was very much involved with the bank robbing business, but that was all behind me for the most part. On the odd occasion I will do what I need to if there is something that I need to acquire for myself or someone that I work with. Or of course if I simply need some money and I need it bad enough to plan a bank robbery in order to get the money that I need. Looking back to the text I sigh and respond quickly before either of them get hostile, finishing off my drink before standing up to deal with the Marshal who decided to interrupt my peaceful time in my bar. 

After a bit of posturing and a few questions about Jimmy and Carl, which I do find strange since Raylan knows them for sure, I move over to a table. I do not quite understand why Raylan would not have informed this Marshal Gutterson, but whatever the reason I do not quite care. We are sitting down at one of the tables, me sipping on some good liquor while the Marshal drinks his glass of water. I know without even looking that Carl and Jimmy are watching us closely, and Jimmy most likely is holding onto the shotgun we keep under the bar in case it ever could be needed. I believe that I would actually find it quite strange if either of them weren’t holding onto some shotgun or pistol from the way they are glaring at the Marshal. I am surprised at how relaxed the Marshal seems to be when I know quite well he understands he is not welcome or wanted here. 

I must say that I am also quite surprised however, that Jimmy and Carl have both refrained from any show of open hostility towards this Marshal, and that they have allowed me to sit so close to him and not be closer to me themselves. I do have faith in them however, that if anything does transpire, they will be ready and able to assist and defend me in any way they see possible. I of course also have my pistol in my waistband and have sat myself so as I could reach it easily if the need does arise. I do not believe that I will need to though, for two reasons. The first is that I do not believe this Marshal is here for a fight, just here to collect information and ask me about my whereabouts yesterday. The second is of course that I know Jimmy and Carl are here and they are ready to shoot the Marshal to protect me for any reason. Since he first started working for me, Jimmy has proven his loyalty to me countless times, and Carl may have not worked for me quite as long but he is no less trustworthy as a result of it. 

The Marshal takes a sip of his water, sets the glass down and clears his throat. “As I said when I first came in, I'm here to ask you about what you were doing and where you were yesterday at around 3:00 pm. There was a bank robbery about 6 miles from here, and it is believed that you used to be a bank robber. Also, the robbers used explosives that are commonly in a coal mine, ammonium nitrate fuel oil and a bit of dynamite, and you have been known to use explosives like those.”

He is watching me closely so I am careful to keep my face as neutral as possible, which isn’t so hard since I have been lying since I could talk. “Why I was here mister Marshal, right here in my bar taking care of the bills and other paperwork that comes with owning a business. We are also planning on receiving a new liquor shipment soon so I had to make sure all was ready for that with the payment and so on. And it would make sense that I would be able to use ANFO or dynamite since I did work in the coal mines when I was in my late teens working side by side with Raylan, and later on in life I went back into the mines for work. While I was working in the mines I was trained in using explosives and that was my job. So as I stated, I would be able to use explosives but so would many men that have come out of the coal mines.” 

I don't even have to be good at reading people to know that he isn’t happy I have an answer so quick and one he isn’t really going to be able to challenge or check. He probably knows that there aren’t any cameras in the bar, it might have been a good idea to get some but I know that with all that has transpired in here, it wouldn’t be wise to have cameras. It wouldn’t be good for any law enforcement agency to get one of those warrants to look at the footage and then there could be trouble. Of course I said nothing about my boys and where they were at that time, so they are his next target. It wouldn’t have been wise for me to offer up an alibi for them so quick without him asking, made me seem like I was nervous or trying to hide something.

“So you were here in the bar working on bills and order forms, alright. Now, what about Jimmy and Carl over there? Where were the two of you yesterday around the same time that the bank was robbed?” The Marshal sounds serious and he is trying to look calm and bored, but I can tell that he is getting annoyed and wants to leave as soon as he can. 

I smile wide, showing my teeth knowing that neither of them are going to talk to the Marshal, and I think that he is slowly starting to realize it as well. There is silence for a few minutes with the Marshal staring at Jimmy and Carl and them just staring back at him, so I answer for the two of them before things get more awkward. “Well I was here and the bar was open, so it would only make sense that Jimmy, who is my bartender, would be here as well. And as for Carl, he was here helping Jimmy out checking the liquor stock in the back and moving things around so we would have room for the new liquor coming in.”

I'm a little surprised when Carl speaks up, but he is just adding to the credibility of the story and I remind myself to praise him for that later. “Yeah, I can show you the back if you want to see the space there is now, or I can show you the broken crate that fell when I was trying to move a stack of them away from the back.” 

The Marshal is watching him as I'm thinking about what will add up, and realize that it all will since Jimmy cleaned and organized the back this morning and he did drop a crate that Carl moved outside and cleaned up. The crate fell and Jimmy tried to catch it and it cut his arms up pretty bad and the glass from the bottles scraped up his shoes a bit. Thats why he put the flannel on, we knew at some point someone from law enforcement might be dropping by and they might just assume as people do, that the cuts were from whatever they wanted to blame us for at that time. I nod my head slightly yet quickly, and look back to the Marshal who is looking between the three of us and seems to be a bit confused. 

“Well since you offered, I would like to go see the back storeroom and see the space and broken crate, just to check your story. Then I believe that I will be on my way after that if everything makes sense and is right.“ Carl looks to me for a quick second and I simply nod again so he stands, downs his drink setting the glass down back on the bar which Jimmy grabs quickly and begins to clean as Carl makes his way towards the storeroom. Jimmy is watching the Marshal as he is cleaning the glass and I see him wincing as the water and soap get into his cuts.

“Come on then I don't got all day to show you around the bar so you can do your job since I got things I gotta do, and I'm pretty sure a fancy Marshal like you don't got all day either.” Carl says and the Marshal quickly gets up and follows him, and as soon as he is out of site I turn to Jimmy and raise my glass. 

It doesn’t take him long to grab the liquor and make his way to my table to refill my glass, but before he can make his way back to the bar I tap my knuckles on the table to get his attention. He stands there watching me, waiting for what I have to say with the liquor bottle dangling in his hand while the other hand is stuffed in his pants pocket. He seems fairly calm, but then again he always seems to be calm even when he's had a pistol pointed at his face he's been calm and relaxed to some degree. That is of course, what makes him a good worker to have on your side in any situation that you may be in. 

“Jimmy, are you sure that we are all clear with everything?” I keep my voice low to make sure the Marshal can't hear me, yet I keep my voice serious and Jimmy understands what I'm asking and how to respond. 

“Yes Boyd, nothing is gonna lead back to us.” Jimmy keeps his voice neutral like it always is, and he glances back quickly towards where the storeroom is to make sure he can't see Carl or the Marshal. I know that Carl will make sure we know when he is on his way back into the main room of the bar with the Marshal in case we are talking about anything. 

“Well that is good, you better make sure that nothing is gonna lead back to us, and keep your selves down Jimmy. You know like me that if the Marshal sees the cuts on your arms he gonna have more questions for you and you’re gonna have to think of something else other than the truth since we’ve already used that. So you keep those selves down Jimmy, and stay behind the bar.” I keep my voice as even and low as I can, and I see Jimmy nodding to me before he turns back around and moves back behind the bar. 

The main room of the bar is quiet other than the music still playing softly on the jukebox and the clink of glasses as Jimmy is cleaning up behind the bar. I know that he wasn’t hired to be a bartender, not really, but it became part of his job and something for him to do that could be used as a cover. It has also been useful on a few occasions when someone has come to the bar looking for me, the first person they are going to ask about me is the bartender. Most people don't expect him to work for me as more than a bartender, so they don't always watch what they say around him, especially once they have been drinking and they don't hear him coming. 

“So you’ve seen the storeroom and how it is, now you can be on your way mister Marshal to do whatever it is you get paid to do.” I hear Carl and a minute later he and the Marshal are walking back into the main room of the bar, and the Marshal looks more annoyed. 

“Thank you for your time Boyd, I may be back later to ask more questions.”

I smile to at the Marshal, all my teeth bared as I stand up and spread out my arms on either side of me like I'm welcoming a long lost brother. “Well I would say it was good to meet you Marshal Tim Gutterson, but I would rather not having had to encounter you at all. Good day to you, and if you are looking for a drink, you might be welcome here as long as you don't cause trouble or come as a Marshal. Law enforcement aren’t normally welcome here, they seem to cause trouble or attract it like a dead boar attracts flies.” 

The Marshal just nods to me and walks out the door leaving us in silence again as the jukebox finishes its song and the next one begins to click into place. I shake my head grab my glass and down the drink quickly before turning around and heading to the back room again stopping at the bar to set down the glass on the way. Neither Carl or Jimmy say anything as I pass, and in the silence Jimmy grabs the glass and starts cleaning again as Carl resumes his seat and settles down to drink and wait for me to have a job for him.


	3. Follow Up Questions

Tim’s POV  
I am not quite sure why, but those boys Jimmy and Carl made me feel uneasy, there was something about them that makes them more dangerous than some of the other criminals in this area like drug dealers. Drug dealers often are drug users themselves, and it makes them easy to deal with and pretty predictable. Crowder’s boys though, they may drink but it doesn’t control or effect them like with he drug dealers, and they won’t be as easy to play or flip. Those boys are loyal to Boyd, and there probably isn’t a lot that they won’t be willing to do for him no matter what the pay is. 

It has been a while since I felt nervous around someone that wasn’t military, and it isn’t Carl or Jimmy’s skill level that was making me feel nervous. There is something about the way they carry themselves, the way that they act and know what to do even if Boyd isn’t there to tell them that tells me they are not as stupid as most might think. It tells me not to underestimate them no matter the situation, and to be careful what I say when they are around. People might think that anyone living in a small town like this is going to be not as smart, but I really don't think that is true for all of them, Raylan and Boyd are the perfect examples of that.

It has been around 5 days since the bank robbery and since I was sent to the bar to talk to Boyd and his boys, and now I have to head back down there with Raylan to talk to Boyd again. There has been a lot going on in Harlan with the criminal element, and while most of it couldn’t have been Boyd, there are the part that are more thought out that have his name all over it. There was another bank robbery that was a lot like the other one, and this time there were some important documents and records stolen. Some Judge thought it was a good idea to keep some classified records and other important documents in a lock box in a bank, and his box was stolen along with about twelve other boxes. 

We do not know who would have known that the Judge kept things in his box other than money, and we don't know who would have known which bank it was stored in or even which box was the Judges. We know that he would have told some people, and then the people at the bank could know some of it, but unfortunately the Judge doesn’t really want to tell us much or answer our questions about what specifically is missing. We also don't know if this was planned out to steal from the Judge or if he was just one of the unlucky ones who had their box stolen with the rest, but we have good reason to think that Boyd had something to do with the robbery. I just am glad that I am not being sent down to talk to him alone like last time, I won’t be as badly outnumbered as I was before. 

We park the car and walk into the bar greeted by the soft playing of some Johnny Cash on the jukebox and some soft talking that stops when the door opens then picks up again once the men playing pool in the corner have looked us over. I am a little surprised to see a group of people that don't work for Boyd in here, but I shouldn’t be that surprised since it is a bar in a small town after all. The group of people are all men, and they are grouped around the pool table with various glasses and bottles on the tables near them or in their hands. 

The blond bartender, Jimmy I'm pretty sure it was, is standing behind the bar cleaning a glass and giving us an unfriendly look as he doesn’t take his eyes off of us. I'm starting to wonder if he ever looks friendly or welcoming, or if that look is reserved for law enforcement and whoever got on Boyd’s bad side. He has a flannel on again and even thought it is a bit hot outside and in the bar, the sleeves are down and even if it ain't buttoned up all the way, he has another shirt on under it. Either the heat isn’t bothering him, or he has some reason he needs to keep his selves down. I don't see Boyd or the other man that I met the other day, the one with the piercings and leather cuff, and I don't know how to feel about that since they could be hidden in the back room. They could also be off stashing things, getting ride of evidence or planning the next job they plan on pulling.

Raylan walks up to the bar and stops in front of Jimmy who continues to just clean glasses and watch us without saying a word, so it is Raylan who breaks the silence. “I need to have a word with Boyd if you could get him for me.” He keep this voice even and steady, but you can tell by his tone that he isn’t really asking anything It’s more of him stating a fact that he is gonna talk to Boyd no matter what anyone else thinks or wants.

Jimmy does nothing other than continue to clean the glasses he keeps pulling fro under the bar, and I know that if he doesn’t answer soon Raylan might decided to start hitting him a bit. Not that I would be against that normally, but there are normal people here in the bar, Jimmy isn’t posing a threat to us. Even if this wasn’t a small town where those men definitely know Jimmy in some way, they probably wouldn’t look too kindly on law enforcement slapping someone around for no reason. Most people here do not like any sort of law enforcement much, and this definitely won’t do anything to put us all in a better light. Bullying people who are just doing their job isn’t the most positive thing.

I can tell Raylan is about to try and slap Jimmy or hit his head on the bar, so I step up to be even with Raylan and speak quickly before things can escalate. “We just need to ask Boyd a couple of questions like the other day when I was here. It is Jimmy right?” I ask hoping that remembering his name might give me some credit with him, but he does nothing but watch me blankly. “Jimmy, we aren’t here to cause trouble or anything, we just need to talk to Boyd. If he isn’t here right now, we can wait for him to get back.”

Raylan is looking at me and I can tell he is a little confused, but after a moment of a tense silence between us, Jimmy sets down the glass he was cleaning and holds up a finger like he is telling us to wait a moment. I take a seat on one of the stools and nod to him as he moves away from us and towards the back room. Raylan is still looking at me strangely, but he doesn’t say anything about it and remains standing behind me watching the doorway Jimmy disappeared through while I turn so I can watch the door. 

I am definitely glad that I have Raylan here with me this time around since even if we will be outnumbered by Boyd and his two boys, at least I won’t have one sneaking up behind me while I'm watching another. Since Jimmy was the only one I could see when I first came in, I had no way of knowing if Boyd or the other man was here at the bar either in the back room or having a smoke outside. So with Jimmy going into the back room where I can't see him, he could easily be going out a back door and telling whoever is there to sneak around and come up behind us so they would have the advantage.

After a minute, Jimmy comes back into the main room and moves behind the bar to stand in front of us again before speaking quietly and quickly, and it seems like Jimmy doesn’t like talking to us. “Sit tight.” As soon as he has spoken, he stays behind the bar as he moves off towards the group of men at the end of the bar playing at the pool table and begins to refill their drinks.

Watching him for a bit I can see that the men all thank him and call him by name, and all he does is nod in response and keep on moving behind the bar filling up drinks and bringing out new bottles of beer. These men all seem to know him which tells me they have come here to drink at this bar before and they might also know him from other things as well. It is a small town so that would make sense, but he still is quiet. He doesn’t say a single word to them no matter whatever it is they are saying to him, and I'm starting to think that he doesn’t like talking much at all in general no matter who it is trying to start a conversation with him.

He might just be the quiet sort, but I know that those are the ones you need to watch out for, they are the ones that sit tight and watch what is going on instead of focusing on talking and not paying attention. They know what is going on around them and some of them can tell when someone might be a threat to them or to someone with them that they are loyal to or maybe care about. Then again, Boyd talks enough for the two of them and it makes some sense that he would hire someone that doesn’t talk as much as him.

It takes a few minutes before Raylan pulls out a stool next to me and sits down, taking his hat off and resting it on the top of the bar. A couple of minutes later Jimmy is making his way back towards us after the men have all gone back to playing pool and talking amongst themselves with their new drinks. He stops near us and picks up his towel again, going back to cleaning different glasses and wiping down the top of the bar in silence as he looks up every now and then to look at us blankly. 

“Any chance I could get a glass of water again?” I ask Jimmy and he just looks at me before moving off and coming back a few seconds later with a glass of water that surprisingly has some ice in it, which he sets in front of me before looking silently to Raylan. When Raylan says nothing and only stares back in silence, I speak up before it gets any more awkward. “Raylan I think he wants to know if you want a water or something.”

Raylan just looks at me for a moment before he looks back to Jimmy who is just watching us and waiting. “I'll take a whiskey.” Jimmy just looks at him before he again moves off and returns with a bottle of whiskey and a glass which he sets on the bar. He pours some whiskey in before turning around and replacing the bottle on the shelf behind him then just watches us again in silence cleaning glasses.

“Thank you. I take it Boyd is on his way here to talk to us?” I ask after taking a sip of my water and humming a little, I'm thankful for the ice he put in my drink but it also confuses me and makes me a little more suspicious of him. 

When I was here last and got a glass of water, there were no ice cubes in it and it also wasn’t hot out or in the bar. Today though, it is hot and he gives me ice cubes without me even having ask him for them which means he knows that it is hot and he can feel it. So even though he can feel the heat, he keeps his sleeves down and it seems like he is being very careful to keep them down while he is working. I can see a few older looking cuts and scraps on his knuckles and on the back of his hands, so he must have been doing some fighting or something that cut him open recently.

And since he is keeping his selves down, then he most likely has some cuts going up his arms as well, and I don't think that they came from a typical fight. There are also some scars on his hands that look like they came from a wire, and how the scars are makes me think that he had that wire wrapped around something and was pulling it tight. Since he works for Boyd it might be that the wire was wrapped around someone instead of something.

“You really don't talk much do you?” Raylan asks when my question is met with silence like I expected it would be. “Is it just us that you don't want to talk to, or do you just not like to talk much in general? I know you can talk since I remember the first time I met you, you were chained up in a trailer and were asking me to find something to cut the lock off the chain to set you all lose. I met another man that works for Boyd when he was tied up in a cabin as well, Carl I think his name was. Danny Crowe had him taped to a chair all beat up and bloody. I think that me meeting Boyd’s men tied up somewhere is just how things are now.”

I smile to Raylan at this story and even though it is pretty funny that he met two of Boyd’s men in basically the same way, I know Raylan is just trying to piss Jimmy off and get him to say or do something. I know why he is trying this, but I really down think that Jimmy is going to be tricked into doing something like that, especially if he was expecting it which he most likely was since he has had different encounters with Raylan in the past. 

Just like I thought and to Raylan’s somewhat obvious disappointment, Jimmy does nothing but stand there silently cleaning his glasses before he walks away from us to the group of men at the pool table who must have called him over. I turn to look at Raylan and raise my eyebrows at him and he just looks at me innocently like he always does when he knows he did something stupid or acted like a little kid. 

“What? I was just sharing a story with you and him no harm meant there Tim, I didn’t do anything that Art would disapprove of.”

I shake my head and take a sip of my water, thankful again for the ice. “You’re acting like a child Raylan, why don't you just sit quietly and drink your whiskey while we wait for Boyd to show up so we can ask him some questions then be on our way. You don’t need to try and piss the people off that work for him, especially since he is the bartender that is making the drinks and probably has a shotgun under that bar.”

Raylan looks at me for a minute and I just stare back drinking my water before he snorts and drinks his whisky. It hasn’t been too much longer, ten minutes at the most I think, when the bar door opens and I turn around to see Boyd walking in with Carl walking in behind him. Carl is scowling, glaring at Raylan and I as he stays behind Boyd who is making his way to meet us at the bar. 

“Well Raylan and Tim, as much as I like seeing people in my bar I’m not sure how often I like it when Marshals like you hang around here. You have some questions you want to ask me?” Boyd seems like he is greeting old friends he is happy to see, but I can see the little bit of annoyance he is hiding. 

“Yes Boyd, there was another bank robbery around here and we need to talk to you about that. Do you want to do this right here in the bar? Or do you want to go into the back office where your customers won’t have to listen to this.”

Boyd smiles at Raylan and I find it somewhat amazing how many of his teeth he shows when he smiles like that. “Well of course we can go into the office, bring your drinks on back and we can have a chat. Carl take over the bar and Jimmy, I could use a drink.” With that Boyd walks towards the back room and I follow Raylan as we head back with Jimmy close behind.


End file.
